Gun Sniper
The Gun Sniper is a type of Zoid, a race of mechanical lifeforms from the fictional Zoids universe. Overview The Gun Sniper is a Velociraptor-type Zoid, created by the Helic Republic. One of the first Helic Zoids created using the Organoid System, the Gun Sniper is considered to be one of the most intelligent Zoids in active service, capable of "learning" from its pilot. Light and agile, the Zoid is designed both to function as an infantry machine and for fire support. The Zoid's primary weapon is a 144mm Sniper Rifle built into the Zoid's tail. Although it requires the Zoid to be immobilized in order to fire, the powerful weapon is capable of disabling far larger Zoids with a single shot. Secondary weapons include a respectable selection of both ranged weapons and close-combat claws and fangs, making the Gun Sniper very well armed for its diminutive size. Battle Story appearances Following the acquisition of the Organoid System technology, the Helic Republic began development of a new generation of Zoids to counter the newer Guylos designs, while supplementing their own forces. Designed to replace older infantry Zoids like the Godos, the Gun Sniper proved to be very effective. It was more than capable against similar Guylos designs, especially the newer Rev Rapter, which was considered to be its counterpart. By ZAC 2100, the Gunsniper had become the standard infantry Zoid of the Helic army. Media appearances Anime Guardian Force The Gun Sniper first appeared in Zoids: Guardian Force. Initially introduced as a brand-new Helic Zoid, the Gun Sniper quickly (and rather inexplicably) appeared en-masse in the hands of not only the Helic military, but also bandits and mercenaries. In one particularly glaring example, a professional assassin known as "Phantom" appeared to have been using the Zoid for longer than the Helic Army had. New Century Zero Two of the major characters in Zoids: New Century Zero used modified Gun Snipers during the series. Naomi Flugel used a customized Gun Sniper, (the "Gun Sniper Naomi Special"). Other than slightly improved performance and the red paint scheme it sported, Naomi's Gun Sniper is no different from the standard kind. Several other Gun Snipers appeared in the series, including many different kinds in a shop specializing in Gun Snipers, a custom Gun Sniper in Harry's hangar similar in appearance to the one Leena would later acquire, as well as a pair of the standard type used by Naomi's two short-lived teammates. After the destruction of her Dibison by the Elephander, Leena Toros purchased a modified Gun Sniper, which had been equipped with a large array of weapons. Referred to as the "Gun Sniper Leena Special", in addition to the basic armaments, it also possessed one pair of weasel units and two gattling cannons, two triple launcher units, a quartet of missile pods, high capacity stabilizers and reinforced parts in various areas. Despite the number weapons it had it was still fairly agile. Naomi scoffed at Leena's Zoid initially, calling it "ridiculous", sparking a long-term rivalry between the two red-headed Gun Sniper pilots. This same Zoid would end up saving her life when Brad and Naomi were cornered by the Sand Stingray gang and their customized Sinkers, which the Gun Sniper LS destroyed with an assault from all its weapons at once. Much like the Dibison that preceded it, the Gun Sniper LS had a tendency to be easily defeated, despite its considerably upgraded arsenal. Leena Tauros is never depicted using her Gun Sniper's 144mm tail sniper rifle; this has caused many fans to speculate Leena's Zoid was incapable of using it, considering the weight of all the custom weapons. However, in Zoids: Battle Legends, it is confirmed that the Gun Sniper LS is indeed capable of using this weapon. This has led to the belief that Leena simply lacked the skill or patience to aim at her targets. Like many of the custom Zoids from New Century, Leena's Gun Sniper was not available as a model and could not be built without considerable customization. Fuzors Gun Snipers appeared in several episodes of Zoids: Fuzors, usually in supporting roles. Interestingly enough, all the Gun Snipers in Fuzors sported the same custom configuration as the one used by Leena in New Century. Video Games The Gun Sniper made an appearance in many of the various Zoids video games, including both the Zoids Saga and Zoids VS series. It played a supporting role in both series. Both also featured many of the Gun Sniper variants, including both Leena's and Naomi's custom versions. Trading Cards The Gun Sniper was featured in every Zoids Trading Cards release, except for the Original Battle Card Game. Models New Japanese Release *Assembly required. (Snap-together, no glue needed. Scissors or X-acto knife recommended for trimming off excess plastic bits.) *The model's colours are moulded into the plastic, and it does not need any paint. The Gun Sniper comes on four frames, along with a small wind-up motor, a clear canopy, two pre-assembled missile launchers, four rubber caps, a small grey pilot, and label sheets. The Zoid is molded in light and dark blue, with orange caps. The Gun Sniper was the fourth completely new design to be released as part of the New Japanese Release. Construction of the Gun Sniper is relatively simple and straightforward. The Zoid uses a simple wind-up motor for its motion; once wound, the Zoid will walk forwards and wave its arms. The Gunsniper has suffered from consistently poor production quality, with many models being unable to walk. A single upgrade kit has been released for the Gun Sniper. The CP-13 Wild Weasel unit consists of a replacement back plate mounting two outrigger pods, each containing two pairs of cannons, for a total of eight cannons. Contrary to common fan belief, in the Battle Story, use of the Wild Weasel unit does not disable the Sniper Rifle. Gun Sniper Naomi A limited edition version of the Gun Sniper was released in 2000, recolored in red and black to match Naomi Flugel's Zoid from the New Century anime. New American Release A version of the model was released as part of the New American Release. No changes were made aside from the packaging. The Gun Sniper was also featured as part of the Hasbro Action Figures line. It featured a red color scheme, along with the Wild Weasel Unit. The Wild Weasel Unit's guns and the sniper rifle could fire spring-loaded projectiles. The NAR Zoid was also released as part of the New Pacific Release. New English Release The Gun Sniper was released in England in 2003 as a part of the New English Release. High-end Master Model An HMM variant is in the works to be released October of 2009. Category:Zoids Category:Raptor-Type Zoids Category:Helic Republic Zoids